Zimbabwe’s top military commander was in China a couple of days before the coup. China is the African country’s top economic partner. Bilateral relations go back to the 1960s. Mugabe’s economic mismanagement and the nationalisation of diamond mines are behind the tensions between the two countries. Beijing likes the vice president.
During the Mass at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis warned against “new things” that destroy the traditions, history, and religion of a people. Martyr Eleazar was a "root" for the young and the future of his people.
The cloistered nuns live in the Prem Jyot (Light of Love) monastery. For the mother prioress, the service of contemplative nuns is “prayer”. Pope Francis "never ceases to invite us to ‘meet Christ’.”
The high point of the papal visit will be the Solemn Mass at Kyaikkasan Grounds in Yangon. Some 200,000 people from around the country are expected, about a third of all Myanmar Catholics. The Church will provide accommodations and transportation. Kachin people made the wooden crosier that Pope Francis will use during the service. As they wait for the pontiff, young people pray.
On 16 November, the Supreme Court banned the CNRP at the request of the government. The prime minister gives CNRP officials another week to join his party. The ruling party said it received 390 defectors as of yesterday, including a parliamentarian, 33 provincial councillors, and 356 municipal officials.
Two Chinese officials – Zhu Jiancheng, secretary general of the China Culture Investment Found, and Maestro Zhang Yan – took part in the announcement at the Holy See Press Office. Zhang has given Pope Francis two paintings. The parallel exhibits will have two different names: ‘Beauty unites us’ in the Vatican, and ‘Contemporary Sino-Vatican Exhibit’ in China. The pope is compared to a sacred mountain.